Closure



April 2, 193s.

L. SCHUMACHER cLosURE Filed Aug. 1o, 195s ENTOR Patented pr. 2, 1935 UNITED STATES CLOSURE Louis Schumacher, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 10,

Claims.

This invention relates to devices such as closures for collapsible tubes or the like.

Among the objects of this inventionV is to provide a device of the character-described having 5 improved means for effecting an inexpensive airhave a neat and uniform port, and which closure is convenient, reliable, and efficient in use.

Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed'out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary enlarged view in vertical cross section showing a device embodying the invention, in initial or factory assembled closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof, in open position, with the interlocking engagement modified.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary enlarged sec-- tional views of modifications of the invention.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary vertical sectional views of modifications of the invention in respectively open and closed positions.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a further modification of the invention.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. Theaccompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Heretofore it has been known to provide a closure such as that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,910,378, issued May 23rd, 1933, wherein the soft metal neck of the collapsible tube was expanded for a tight seat and had a closed bulge portion 199s, serial No. 684,473

(c1. zal-69) for resiliently engaging in the port of the cap. This, however, did not satisfy the quest in the art for a hermetic seal, and a closure was developed wherein the said neck was provided with a. closed ended' projection to be sheared oi by 5 the cap, as disclosed in pending applications. While this latter closure is initially fully airtight, diiculties were encountered in shearing the projection, since the metal would tend to tear with consequent deformation of the seating por- 10 tion of the neck- Moreover, the port formed in the neck -by the shearing would have an objectionable ragged edge, or shavings would result from the shearing and enter the contents discharged from the tube. To form a sharp edge for 15 the shearing action was either too expensive o r impractical since the cap is made of a composition material such as Bakelite, Moreover, thel manufacture was diflicult since the wall of the projection had to be thinned down very ne to be 20 capable of being easily sheared, and such thinning would sometimes break the metal. This invention was devised to overcome these dilculties.

In considering the foregoing difficulties, it is important to bear in mind that the cap port must 25 be eccentric, since various devices adapted forvconcentric action can not be used 4in `this closure.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may. include, for example', a collapsible container II 30 having a neck I2 having a wall or dome I3, or the equivalent, and a port such as I4. Movable along the wall or dome-is a closure member such as a cap I5 which may be journaled on the neck for controlling the port Ill, and having a port I6. The member I5 may be secured to the neck in a suitable manner as by mating annular grooves and ridges Il, I8 inthe cap and neck respectively. These elements Il, I8 may snugly fit each other as shown at IIa and ISa in Fig. 2, 40 but preferably a small clearance may be observed therebetween and between the upper and. lower margins or corners of the elements, although said corners may' snugly lit each other.

Moreover, the elements. I1, I8 may be vertically 45 elongated as compared with the corresponding elements of Fig. 2 to provide a degree of resilience in the fastening, whereby the cap and domemay be sprung apart as shown in Fig. 6. This resilient fastening is intended to be illustrative.

Between the dome and the cap is a seating surface I3a, and one of the cap and neck elements is provided with a sealing projection extending past the seating surface into engagement .19855. greater depth so that only the sides of the sealwith the other element. More particularly, one of the elements, such as the cap, is formed at its seating surface with an irregularity, such as a vsealing recess I9, and the marginal region or edge 20 is bent into the recess to snugly engage the peripheral edge of the latter. Preferably the bent edge forms an annular sealing lip pressed into the recess in situ to accurately conform to the recess. Since the sealing lip or neck is made of a yielding material, such as a soft metal, a tight closure for the port I4 is obtained. The cap I5 may be made of a rigid material such as Bakelite. Desirably, the diameter of the annular lip may be greater than that of the cap port I6.

The device I may be made by a spinning operation to form the ridge I8 and simultaneously the lip 20. Also iluid pressure or Athe pressure of a yielding or elastic material such as rubber, of a suitable hardness or toughness may be used, to simultaneously form the ridge and sealing lip, according to the principles of U. S. Patent Nos. 601,825 of April th, 1898, and 616,764 of December 27th, 1898. In that case the rubber tool head may be so formed and applied as not to exert maximum pressure in forming the ridge I8, although maximum pressure may be used to form the sealing lip 20. However, the sealing lip 20 may be preformed, and then expanded tightly into the recess.

In use, the cap I5 is rotated to a position such as shown in Fig. 2, and the sealing' lip 20 is flattened or ironed out by the edges of the recess I9, and by the hard seating surface of the cap. Preferably, no shear of any part of the sealing lip occurs. This can be controlledby the hardness of the sealing lip, its height, the character and curvature of the'recess walls, the hardness and nature of the cap material, and other like factors. However, if desired, a curved projection 2| may be provided in the recess of less height than the depth of the recess to facilitate the substantial flattening down of all parts' of the sealing lip as shown in Fig. 2 formingthe port I4a. The resilient action of the dome'l3 and of the fastening means I'I, I8, or both, may aid by permitting a slight separation of the cap and dome as shown in Fig. 6, so that the sealing lip may become flattened by repeated rotations of the cap, in normal use. However, the structure shown in Fig. 6 may also be considered as including a relatively hard sealing lip 20a, and one which is not intended normally to be flattened or ironed out,'or only to a slight degree. 'I'he diameter of this hard sealing lip is intended to be' greater than that of the port IS, and it may snap into the recess I 9 when the device is closed. The diameter of this sealing lip may also be such as to permit it to snap into port I6.

It will be appreciated that the sealing lip affords a desirable stop engagement with the recess to snugly maintain the device initially closed, but after the same is once opened such stop engagement may become slight or wholly disappear.

In Figs. 4 and 5 are shown different relations of the sealing lip and the recess. In the latter, the recess I9a is sufficiently shallow, or the sealing lip suiciently high to cause not only the exterior sides 22 of the sealing lip to engage the recess, but also the edge 23 thereof to snugly engage the opposite plane or curved wall of the re- In Fig. 4, the recess I9b is of relatively ing lip engage the recess.

V It will be understood that the sealing lip may vary in height between three and ten to twenty l thousandths of an inch, or thereabouts, these figures being illustrative.

In Fig. 6, the recess I 9c may have a curved Wall I9d as distinguished from the corresponding plane or oppositely curved walls of Figs. 5 and 4, respectively. However, the latter walls may be more desirable for concentrating the pressure of -a rubber head laterally in the recess and against lip 32 inwardly deformed into tight engagement around the projection. The difference in diameters may vary, for illustration, between six and thirty thousandths of an inch. This .device may be manufactured in the same manner as the `device I0, by internal expansive pressure in the neck, and may be otherwise precisely similar in construction with the devices shown in Figs. l to 6. In the device 24, the lip 32 is not materially` upon for resilience to permit the projection to be p sprung out of the port 26 upon rotation of the cap, according to the principle illustrated in neck 38 may have a port 39 and an annular uniform projecting lip 40 projecting into or embedded in said layer to form a particularly tight seal. On rotating the cap, the lip may slip over the layer, or may scoop a groove therein. In making this device, the lip may be preformed, or it may be formed by internal expansive pressure as hereinbefore described,` and the sealing lip will be embedded by reason of greater expansive pressure at the edge of the port 39. Such layer may also be used in the devices I0 and 24 if desired. The layer 31 may be formed by merely dipping the cap in a self hardening liquid, or by spraying the liquid into the cap. The device is otherwise the same as that shown in the other figures; but no preformed recess is made, as the sealing lip forms its own recess.

By the terms tube or tubular element or tube neckl as used herein is meant any tubular member, or container, receptacle, tank or can. By the terms cap, or cap element is meant any type of closure or control member or means that is usable for' thepurposes of the invention. The term rotary is employed as signifying an angular motion.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawing, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting lsense, the scope of the invention being dened lwith said opening said elements having a common seating surface therebetween, said closure element having an irregularity at said seating surface, said opening having its edge continuously deformed to conform to said irregularity for tightly closing said opening, and said elements being slightly separable at said seating surface for disengagement of said deformed edge and said irregularity.

2. In acollapsible container, a tube portion having an opening offset from the axis of the tube portion, a cap on said tube portion for controlling said opening, said tube portion having therim of said opening constituting a yieldable lip, and said cap having an internal recess offset from the axis thereof for receiving said lip, said recess conforming substantially to the shape of the lip to snugly receive the same to form with said lip a tight closure for said opening, and said lip being laterally deformable, as set forth.

3. In a collapsible container, a tubular element, a closure cap therefor, and resilient means rotatably interconnecting said cap and element so as to allow for resilient movement of the cap axially of said element, said resilient means including a bead portion integral with the tubular element.

4. In a collapsible container, a tubular element having an opening offset from the axis thereof, said opening having a lip forming rim, anda rotary closure for said opening having means for sealingly engaging said lip and for flattening the same on rotation of said closure, to break the seal.

5. In a collapsible container, a tubular element having an opening'provided with an externally projecting lipped rim, said opening being offset from the axis of the tubular element, and a member movably mounted onsaid element for` controlling said opening and having means offset from the axis of the member for continuously engaging said lipped rim along a side thereof and for flattening the sameupon movement of the member.

6. In a collapsible container, a tube portion having an opening offset from the axis thereof, a cap movably seated on the tube portion for controlling said opening, said cap having an irregularity offset from the cap axis, said opening having .a substantially continuous marginal yieldable lip projecting toward the cap, said lip and irregularity being arranged so that one receives the other in snug substantially continuous engagement, and the lip being adapted to be substantially attened out on relative movement between thecap and tube portion.

'7. In a, collapsible container, a tubular element having an opening offset from the axis thereof, a closure element seated on the tubular element for controlling said opening, the tubular element having an upstanding marginal yieldable lip Aalong the edge of said opening, the closure element having a recess offset from the axisthereof for'snugly receiving the lip, and the closure element having a slight projection substantially central of the recess and projecting into the opening defined by the lip, as set forth. Y

8. In a collapsible container, a tubular element having an opening offset from the axis thereof and having a yielding marginal lip, a rotary closure element for controlling said opening, said cap.

closure element having a recess offset from the axis thereof for snuglyreceiving said lip and a slight cam shaped flattening projection within said recess and lip releasable therefrom on rotation of said closure element.

9. In a collapsible container, a tubular element having a marginally lipped opening offset from the axis thereof, a non-removable cap on said element for said opening, said cap having a yielding internal surface portion offset from the axis of the cap and into which the marginal lip extends, as set forth. i

10. In a collapsible container, a tube portion having an opening offset from the axis thereof,

a non-removable cap on said tube portion movable' between open and closed positions for controlling said opening, said cap having an outlet offset from the axis thereof and adapted to be brought into register with the opening thereof upon movement of the cap into open position, said ltube portion having a lip extending peripherally along its opening and projecting into a recess in the surface of 'the cap in the closed position thereof.

11. In a collapsible container, a tube portion having an opening offset from the axis of the tube portion, a cap on said tube portion movable between open and closed positions for controlling said opening, said cap having an outlet offset from the axis of said cap adapted to be brought into register with the tube openingen movement of the cap into open position, said tube portion having a peripheral lip about said opening, and said cap having an internal recess for snugly receiving said lip in the closed position of the 12. In a collapsible container, a tubular element having an opening offset from the axis of the tubular element, a cap element journaled on said tubular element for controlling said opening, said cap element having an -outlet offset from the axis 'of the cap element and adapted to be brought into and out of register with the opening of the tubular element by rotation of the cap element, said cap element having a recess, and means projecting from said tubular element toward the other element and extending into said recess to afford a closure engagement between said elements along the edge of said opening, said means including a peripheral sealing lip for said opening, said means affording a yieldable engagement between the elements', releasable by a rotational movement of the cap element.

`13.In a collapsible container, a tubular element having an axially offset opening, a rotary cap element on said tubular element for controlling said opening, said cap element having an outlet and an internal recess both offset from theaxis of the cap and being in angularly spaced relation to each other, said elements having a common seating surface therebetween in communication with said opening, and the tubular element having a yielding peripheral lip for said opening projecting past said seating surface into said recess Whenin one position to afford a snug closure engagement between said elements along extending between' the seating surfaces, said means including an irregularity member on the cap element at sai-d seating surface, and a yielding lip member along lthe rim of said opening continuously projecting 'toward and conforming to said irregularity member for tightly closing said 6 opening, one of said members being received in the other member 'and the' members being adapted to be released from each other on turning the cap element.

15. In a collapsible tube, a` tube neck having a port and an integral outwardly deformed thin walled pliable lip extending continuously along the margin of the port, said lip being substan-` tially smaller in diameter than the tube neck, and a cap movably seated on the tube neck for controlling the port, said cap having a recess in the internal face thereof for snugly receiving the wall of the lip, as set forth.

LOUIS SCHUMACHER. 

